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Changing of the guard: Veterans head to Hill

They served their nation in war, and now they'll serve it in Congress.

A record number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were elected to the House last Tuesday, including two history-making female combat veterans.

Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii who did a tour in Iraq with the Army National Guard's 29th Brigade in 2004, was elected to the House with 8o percent of the vote.

Gabbard, who is just 31, said her service has influenced her political career.

"One of the most heartbreaking responsibilities I had was to go over the list of troops who had been injured or killed every day and identify Hawaii soldiers so that I could make sure they were receiving proper care. This experience has never left me," Gabbard told POLITICO.

"It helped me more fully appreciate the tremendous cost of war," she said. "Our men and women in uniform and their families provide the greatest service and make the highest sacrifice for us," she said. "We owe them a debt of gratitude, and I want to make sure they receive the respect and support they need and deserve. That's an important part of what brought me to Congress and will always be an important part of what I work on there."

Tammy Duckworth was elected after her second shot at a House seat in Illinois. An Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot who lost her legs in a crash in Iraq in 2004, she was a star at the Democratic National Convention this summer in Charlotte, N.C.

After losing her 2006 race for the 6th Congressional District, Duckworth was elected to the 8th Congressional District, unseating Republican Rep. Joe Walsh.

It was a nasty race, and at one point Walsh blasted the Iraq War vet for talking about the war too much.

On election night, Duckworth tweeted: "Amazing night. I would not be here had the real heroes and the healers not saved my life. Thank you."

The two women join about two dozen other veterans joining or returning to Congress next year.

And the ranks could grow: Martha McSally, a Republican from Arizona, is in a deadlock with her incumbent Democratic opponent; the race is still too close to call. McSally was an Air Force pilot who flew missions over Afghanistan.

The overall number of veterans is Congress is expected to stay about the same, but a changing of the guard is beginning to take place on Capitol Hill. The makeup of lawmakers is gradually but clearly shifting from people who served in World War II, Korea or Vietnam to those who served in Afghanistan, Operation Desert Storm and Iraq.

"Of the 42 new veterans that ran this cycle, at least 16 of them were elected to office," said Paul Rieckhoff, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "[It's] another example of the strength and potential of the new greatest generation. We are hopeful that these veterans will work together in Congress just like they did in combat and lead Washington in a new direction."

Veterans' advocates want Congress to tackle joblessness among veterans, which remains higher than unemployment in the overall population. Other priorities include cost of living adjustments, strengthening the new GI Bill to protect against fraud, ending the service backlog for veterans' care and pressing the Department of Veterans Affairs to speed up moving its paper records online.

President Barack Obama's plan to draw down about 100,000 troops from the active Army and Marine Corps by 2017 means that vets will stay a central issue for the government for many years.

Congress takes a long time to change, however. Although Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are growing their ranks in the House, there's still not an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran in the Senate. And Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, wants to change that.

"You're starting to see more mature candidates, candidates that are more than just veterans," he said. At "the Senate level? I think it will come."

VoteVets.org spent $6 million on Senate races featuring veterans, including $1 million in Virginia alone, where Sen. Jim Webb left his Democratic seat. The group spent $350,000 getting Gabbard elected, hoping to groom her for the Senate soon.

Several incumbent veterans from other wars, including Korean War vet Rep. Charles Rangel (D.-N.Y) and Vietnam vet Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), were reelected.

"It's extremely important that the makeup of Congress reflect the service of our Armed Forces," said Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "These men and women bring a unique perspective to the work we do by ensuring that we are meeting the needs of today's veterans."

Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.), who has served in the Army Reserves since 1991, was just reelected and welcomes the new crop of vets.

"It's important to have those that have served in the current conflicts because there are unique issues [facing Iraq and Afghanistan veterans]," he said. "The issues that our service members are facing today are different than the issues and problems that they faced post-Vietnam, post-Korea, post-World War II, even post-Desert Storm I."

Many of the new members will fill positions on several key committees, including Veterans', Armed Services and Foreign Affairs.

"Veterans serving in Congress understand the true cost of war like few others do," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chairwoman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. "They understand that the fiscal commitment we have doesn't end when the last shots are fired because they've lived the transition home. So when it's time to make tough budget decisions about whether we fund a new veterans jobs program or invest in improved veteran's access to health care, it's critical to have their voices heard."

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Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.